Gotama Buddha was not vegetarian

Many people believe that Buddhists are vegetarian by default. This belief may stem from the notion that Buddhists do not support killing living beings including humans, animals, fish, birds or insects. While the five precepts for lay Buddhists encourage lay followers to refrain from taking life, there is no prohibition for eating flesh or fish. The Blessed One also taught followers that hunting, fishing and trading in flesh is wrong livelihood and creates unwholesome karma with unpleasant results. Even so, the purchasing of flesh from creatures already slaughtered is neutral kamma with neutral result.


Anguttaranikaaya A8.12 translated by Bhante Bhikkhu Bodhi.
This discourse describes a situation where general Siiha, who had previously been a supporter of the Jains in Vesaali listened to the Blessed One teach the Dhamma and converted from Jainism to Buddhism. Siiha means lion in Paali language.  Immediately upon being converted, Siiha invited the Blessed One for a meal the following day. He asked his servant to go to find meat ready for sale and had a meal prepared which the Blessed One and the Sangha of bhikkhus ate. 

Note the Paali discourses refer to the followers of the Jain religion as the Niganthas, after their leader Nigantha Naataputta (Nigantha, the son of Naata). These days Jains call this person "Mahaa viira", a title which means great hero. Hindus also sometimes use the title of Mahaa viir to refer to the deity Hanuman, though apart from current use of the title Mahaa viir, I am not aware of any other connection between Nigantha Naataputta and Hanuman the deity.

Then the Blessed One gave Siiha the general a progressive discourse, that is, a talk on giving, virtuous behavior, and heaven; he revealed the danger, degradation, and defilement of sensual pleasures and the benefit of renunciation. When the Blessed One knew that Siiha's mind was pliant, softened, rid of hindrances, uplifted, and confident, he revealed that Dhamma teaching special to the Buddhas: suffering, its origin, its cessation, and the path. Then, just as a clean cloth rid of dark spots would readily absorb dye, so too, while Siiha the general sat in that same seat, there arose in him the dust-free, stainless Dhamma-eye: 'Whatever is subject to origination is all subject to cessation.' Siiha the general became one who had seen the Dhamma, attained the Dhamma, understood the Dhamma, fathomed the Dhamma, crossed over doubt, gotten rid of bewilderment, attained self-confidence, and become independent of others in the teaching of the Teacher [this is the stock phrase meaning that Siiha the general had attained the fruit of stream entry Sotapanna - a noble disciple]. He then said to the Blessed One: "Bhante, please let the Blessed One together with the Sangha of bhikkhus accept tomorrow's meal from me." 

The Blessed One consented by silence. Having understood that the Blessed One had consented, Siiha rose from his seat, paid homage to the Blessed One, circumambulated him keeping the right side toward him, and departed. Then Siiha addressed a man: "Go, good man, find some meat ready for sale." 

Then, when the night had passed, Siiha the general had various kinds of excellent foods prepared in his own residence, after which he had the time announced to the Blessed One: "It is time, Bhante, the meal is ready." 

Then, in the morning, the Blessed One dressed, took his bowl and robe, went to Siiha's residence along with the Sangha of bhikkhus, and sat down on the seat prepared for him. Now on that occasion a number of Niganthas went from street to street and from square to square in Vesaali, thrashing their arms about and crying out: "Today Siiha the general has slain a plump animal to prepare a meal for the ascetic Gotama! The ascetic Gotama knowingly uses meat obtained from an animal killed especially for his sake, the act being done on his account." 

Then a man approached Siiha the general and whispered into his ear: "Sir, you should know that a number of Niganthas are going from street to street and from square to square in Vesaali, thrashing their arms about and crying out: 'Today Siiha the general has slain a plump animal to prepare a meal for the ascetic Gotama! The ascetic Gotama knowingly uses meat obtained from an animal killed especially for his sake, a deed done on his account.'" 

"Enough, good man. For a long time those venerable ones have wanted to discredit the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha. They will never stop misrepresenting the Blessed One with what is untrue, baseless, false, and contrary to fact, and we would never intentionally deprive a living being of life, even for the sake of our life."

Then, with his own hands, Siiha the general served and satisfied the Sangha of bhikkhus headed by the Buddha with the various kinds of excellent food. Then, when the Blessed One had finished eating and had put away his bowl, Siiha sat down to one side. Then the Blessed One instructed, encouraged, inspired, and gladdened Siiha with a Dhamma talk, after which he rose from his seat and departed. 

Readers may also note three points. Firstly, note the sequence of events. Siiha the general attained the fruit of stream entry sotapanna, a noble disciple, before he ordered his man to find some meat ready for sale. I understand that stream enterers and all noble disciples are incapable of intentionally killing a living being. Secondly, note that Siiha the general was previously a well known Jain and mostly likely followed the Jain teaching of non-violence and vegetarianism. It is significant that on arising of the Dhamma eye and becoming a sotapanna, he knew that purchasing meat and preparing a meal with meat for the Sangha of bhikkhus was both allowable to bhikkhus and not unwholesome. He was now a confirmed Buddhist and confident in his actions. Thirdly, note that not only did he order the purchase of meat and have it prepared as a meal, he offered this meal to the Blessed One at the head of the Sangha. Siiha the general was a  virtuous man, well known for acts of generousity and for his confidence in speaking in public. He may have known that this offering would be a political act, openly defying the Jains. 

Majjhimanikaaya M55.5 Jiivaka Sutta translated by Bhante Bhikkhu Bodhi

"Jiivaka, I say that there are three instances in which meat should not be eaten: when it is seen, heard, or suspected [that the living being has been slaughtered for oneself]. I say that meat should not be eaten in these three instances. I say that there are three instances in which meat may be eaten: when it is not seen, not heard, and not suspected [that the living being has  been slaughtered for oneself.]. I say that meat may be eaten in these three instances."

In the Samantapaasaadikaa (the commentary on the Vinaaya, Discipline) Bhante Devadatta made many attempts to injure the person and reputation of the Blessed One so he could assume leadership of Sangha himself. In one attempt Bhante Devadatta instructed his followers to ask the Blessed One to impose five new rules on all members of the Sangha including a rule forbidding the consumption of fish and flesh. The Blessed One's reply was that those who wished to follow these rules may do so but the Blessed One did not make these rules including the vegetarian rule compulsory. 

In the Vinaaya Mahaavagga Mv.VI.23.9-15 rule prohibits eating ten specific kinds of flesh, mainly carnivorous animals such as dogs, snakes, lions and humans. If the Blessed One wished followers to cease eating flesh altogether, he would've not forbidden specific kinds of flesh, he would have simply forbidden flesh of all kinds. 

During the time of the Buddha Gotama, the Jain religion taught Jain followers to be strict vegetarian. The Brahmin contemporaries of the Blessed One hunted animals and sacrificed animals to their deities.  Later  Hindu revivalists competing with Jains and Buddhists may have sought to appear holier than "decadent" Buddhist monks and adopted vegetarianism. The vegetarian tradition in Indian culture grew stronger over time. 

Some ignorant people are influenced by superficial behaviour and do not properly investigate the teaching, so they imagine Buddhist monks who eat meat were not rid of desires and like to enjoy luxury.   So over time many Buddhists became vegetarian too. This became the rule with Mahayana Buddhism. Even today, many Mahayana Buddhists teach that Lord Buddha was vegetarian.  

Here is a short essay by Bhante Ajahn Brahmavamso about this issue which covers it very well. http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma3/meat.html

Here is the same essay on a different website: http://www.buddhachannel.tv/portail/spip.php?article4311

I read that the Dalai Lama (a Vajrayana Buddhist) is not vegetarian. He prefers not to eat meat but due to a medical condition, has been advised to eat meat at least once every two or three days.  Many Western Buddhists who follow the Tibetan tradition may be surprised and not believe that. You can also read the reference to that on Wikipedia here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_vegetarianism  

Bhante Thanissaro Bhikkhu's Buddhist Monastic Code has a chapter on food that explains what the Vinaaya and its commentaries have to say on food, including eating or not eating meat.